BBB National Programs Blog

In today’s data-driven economy, good privacy practices are inextricable from good business. Everyone is taking a closer look at how personal information is collected and used these days. Consumers and employees are more informed about how to protect the privacy of their data. Regulators are raising the temperature, armed with updated rules. And businesses are requiring much more than general assurances that their contracting parties will handle data with care. Know the why, the what, and the who of privacy certifications.

Now that it’s the 2020 campaign season, your digital advertising experience has probably changed to include ads extolling or condemning certain candidates for office. This phenomenon is known as express advocacy political advertising.

In today’s digital world, there are numerous ways that voters might encounter political content online. They might see their favorite candidate displayed in a banner on their favorite website. Alternatively, they may see their top social issue captured in a video message in their newsfeed. And of course, they might encounter organic political content shared by friends, family, and co-workers across their networks.

Privacy has become a very public matter. The issue of properly managing personal data is not only big in the U.S.; it is increasingly important around the world. Even though global privacy regulations are actively shifting, maintaining a robust privacy program with independent indicators will go a long way toward minimizing the scrutiny of consumers and government agencies.

Where is the line between ethical, persuasive design and dark patterns? Businesses should engage in conversations with IT, compliance, risk, and legal teams to review their privacy policy, and include in the discussion the customer/user experience designers and coders responsible for the company’s user interface, as well as the marketers and advertisers responsible for sign-ups, checkout baskets, pricing, and promotions. Any or all these teams can play a role in creating or avoiding “digital deception.”

This week we celebrate the 50th anniversary of independent self-regulation in advertising. On May 18, 1971, the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) and its investigative arm, the National Advertising Division (NAD) were announced.

Direct selling – when done correctly – can benefit distributors and consumers. Unfortunately, it only takes a few bad actors to compromise the integrity of an entire industry. The direct selling industry faces difficult and important challenges in enhancing consumer and regulatory confidence in the marketing of its products and services. Successful and effective self-regulation has often been described as a marathon and not a sprint and, as such, requires ongoing commitment and participation from the industry.

It is a common misunderstanding that the National Advertising Division (NAD) creates or establishes standards for the U.S. advertising industry. Instead, substantiation standards are set by laws, guidance documents, or industry organizations. NAD looks to those different sources for guidance when reviewing advertising claims.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives, from the ability to socialize to the ability to work. Keeping up with routine vehicle maintenance, for many who have been moving around less since the pandemic began, has become less routine. So, what happens when you discover an issue with your vehicle? To make sure your vehicle gets fixed, follow these guidelines and, if your vehicle cannot be fixed, we at BBB AUTO LINE have some guidelines for that, too.

Green marketing can be a strong marketing tool for companies to differentiate their sustainable approach to business and help consumers choose more sustainable products. But with the variety and volume of green marketing today, does it?